Mystery illness. Even the vet doesn't know.

[rebrascora]

Have you tried vomiting her? If she is going to die or be euthanized, then it is worth a try.

Her comb and legs don't look that bad. It sounds like a crop problem. If you can relieve some of the pressure and then start treating it with Epsom salts it is surely worth giving it a go. There are videos on You tube that show you how to vomit a chicken. Massage her crop first and make sure to give her plenty of opportunities to breath in between attempts/vomits. Aim to just get a little up initially, so that there is room to get some medication in. I hope you are able to bring her back from the brink.

Good luck

Barbara

 

[casportpony]

Sounds like sour crop to me when you talk about a swollen crop and a yeasty smell

The vet checked for bacteria and yeast with a microscope and didn't find much, but still prescribed antibiotics and an anti-fungal.

-Kathy

 

[Brissychick]

Thank you everyone so much for your help. Sadly my little girl has lost her battle. I tried and tried. I'm off to go and bury her.

Her comb and legs were black towards the end. The smell disappeared.

 

[rebrascora]

So sorry to hear that your hen passed away.

It's obviously too late now, since you were going to bury her 8hrs ago, but in my opinion it is well worth having a necropsy done or even doing your own simple post mortem exam, if you can, to try to figure out what the problem really was. I have learned so much over the past few years from opening up chickens that have died and also excess cockerels that I have culled.

I hope this was an isolated incident and the rest of your flock continue to thrive.

 

[PeepersMama]

Oh, poor girl! One of my girls died yesterday morning, and my "grandkid" needs to be euthanized tonight. It's seems that the flock does have mareks, and her neck keeps falling forward, like she's falling asleep, but isn't.
As for your girls, pray that it isn't contagious; if more birds get it, then definitely have a necropsy done.